Best states (west of great lakes) for cycling

wrote:
On Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:55:06 -0500, Just A User
wrote:

I am giving very serious consideration to re-locating and this is
important to me. So the questions is for those that have lived in areas
west of the Great Lakes, which states provide the best areas for
cycling, I have already checked on the rails to trails site and found
that some of the areas I am considering have local trails, so how about
regular road riding?

Ken

Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin
all have mandatory helmet laws in part or the whole of the state (so
does Alaska, but although that is "west of the Great Lakes" I presume
it was not under consideration).

The above list may not include all states; MHL's are becoming more and
more popular with American governments, and there may have been more
passed since last time I checked.
Thats an interesting point one that I had not even thought of, here in
Florida, there is no such law, that I know of anyway.

Ken

On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 07:14:26 -0500, Just A User
wrote:

wrote:
On Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:55:06 -0500, Just A User
wrote:

I am giving very serious consideration to re-locating and this is
important to me. So the questions is for those that have lived in areas
west of the Great Lakes, which states provide the best areas for
cycling, I have already checked on the rails to trails site and found
that some of the areas I am considering have local trails, so how about
regular road riding?

Ken

Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin
all have mandatory helmet laws in part or the whole of the state (so
does Alaska, but although that is "west of the Great Lakes" I presume
it was not under consideration).

The above list may not include all states; MHL's are becoming more and
more popular with American governments, and there may have been more
passed since last time I checked.
Thats an interesting point one that I had not even thought of, here in
Florida, there is no such law, that I know of anyway.


Something in excess of three million residents of Florida must by law
wear a helmet if they choose to cycle.

Florida passed an under-16 state-wide MHL in 1997; currently it allows
counties to opt out, and some (3) did so, but reports are that they
have all now rescinded.

On Mar 9, 7:06 pm, wrote:
On Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:55:06 -0500, Just A User

wrote:
I am giving very serious consideration to re-locating and this is
important to me. So the questions is for those that have lived in areas
west of the Great Lakes, which states provide the best areas for
cycling, I have already checked on the rails to trails site and found
that some of the areas I am considering have local trails, so how about
regular road riding?

Ken

Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin
all have mandatory helmet laws in part or the whole of the state (so
does Alaska, but although that is "west of the Great Lakes" I presume
it was not under consideration).

The above list may not include all states; MHL's are becoming more and
more popular with American governments, and there may have been more
passed since last time I checked.

Might want to expand on this list. Most have ages attached, none that
I know of are for adults, most for kids or kid passenegrs.

wrote:
On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 07:14:26 -0500, Just A User
wrote:

wrote:
On Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:55:06 -0500, Just A User
wrote:

I am giving very serious consideration to re-locating and this is
important to me. So the questions is for those that have lived in areas
west of the Great Lakes, which states provide the best areas for
cycling, I have already checked on the rails to trails site and found
that some of the areas I am considering have local trails, so how about
regular road riding?

Ken
Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin
all have mandatory helmet laws in part or the whole of the state (so
does Alaska, but although that is "west of the Great Lakes" I presume
it was not under consideration).

The above list may not include all states; MHL's are becoming more and
more popular with American governments, and there may have been more
passed since last time I checked.
Thats an interesting point one that I had not even thought of, here in
Florida, there is no such law, that I know of anyway.


Something in excess of three million residents of Florida must by law
wear a helmet if they choose to cycle.

Florida passed an under-16 state-wide MHL in 1997; currently it allows
counties to opt out, and some (3) did so, but reports are that they
have all now rescinded.

Yeah but that law is for those under 16 years of age, I am in my 30's.

Ken

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
On Mar 9, 7:06 pm, wrote:
On Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:55:06 -0500, Just A User

wrote:
I am giving very serious consideration to re-locating and this is
important to me. So the questions is for those that have lived in areas
west of the Great Lakes, which states provide the best areas for
cycling, I have already checked on the rails to trails site and found
that some of the areas I am considering have local trails, so how about
regular road riding?
Ken
Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin
all have mandatory helmet laws in part or the whole of the state (so
does Alaska, but although that is "west of the Great Lakes" I presume
it was not under consideration).

The above list may not include all states; MHL's are becoming more and
more popular with American governments, and there may have been more
passed since last time I checked.

Might want to expand on this list. Most have ages attached, none that
I know of are for adults, most for kids or kid passenegrs.

Yeah I did a really quick search and found a site that seems to indicate
that most of the cycling helmet laws apply to those under 18, 16 or even
lower in some places. I don't have much too worry about I am 34, but
will probably avoid moving into an area that requires me to wear a head
protection device.

Ken

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:55:06 -0500, Just A User
wrote:

I am giving very serious consideration to re-locating and this is
important to me. So the questions is for those that have lived in areas
west of the Great Lakes, which states provide the best areas for
cycling, I have already checked on the rails to trails site and found
that some of the areas I am considering have local trails, so how about
regular road riding?

Ken

Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin
all have mandatory helmet laws in part or the whole of the state (so
does Alaska, but although that is "west of the Great Lakes" I presume
it was not under consideration).

Which part of California has MHL for adults? I know it's not the SF bay
area.

Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin
all have mandatory helmet laws in part or the whole of the state (so
does Alaska, but although that is "west of the Great Lakes" I presume
it was not under consideration).

The above list may not include all states; MHL's are becoming more and
more popular with American governments, and there may have been more
passed since last time I checked.

I wasn't aware Texas had a mandatory helmet law FOR ADULTS. That's the
important part. Besides, cops in Texas don't enforce ANY bicycle laws so why
should they all of a sudden start enforcing a helmet law?

Pat in TX

Just A User wrote:

Yeah but that law is for those under 16 years of age, I am in my 30's.

And it's not like these laws are enforced anyway.

The only significant MHLs for adults that I know of are
King County, Washington (Seattle metro) and Dallas.
Fair reason for a cyclist to avoid moving to those areas, imo,
even though Seattle is otherwise a sort of Disneyland
for cyclists, with some of the more considerate drivers
to be found in the US.

Robert

wrote:
Just A User wrote:

Yeah but that law is for those under 16 years of age, I am in my 30's.

And it's not like these laws are enforced anyway.

The only significant MHLs for adults that I know of are
King County, Washington (Seattle metro) and Dallas.
Fair reason for a cyclist to avoid moving to those areas, imo,
even though Seattle is otherwise a sort of Disneyland
for cyclists, with some of the more considerate drivers
to be found in the US.

Robert

Yeah thats what my quick research seemed to indicate. Bellevue WA is on
my list of cities I am considering.

Ken

Just A User wrote:

Well I am moving to get away from the over crowded feeling of the east
coast and to get away from the excessive humidity that is here in
Florida and a certain mold spore that is more prevelent in the southeast.

The Colorado Front Goathead Preserve
is plenty crowded, imo, but I'm just going
to throw this out there -- Fort Collins. Small-mid
university city, about an hour north of
Denver. If you want to go car free or at
least use your bike as your primary
transportation, the Fort would be very
hard to beat. It is incredibly easy to ride
a bike around that town. They have created
and continue to create a remarkable
infrastructure for transportational cycling.
The road riding in surrounding areas varies
from fantastic to ho-hum -- if recreational
cycling is your main thing you might consider
Boulder, which is the home base for many of
the great road rides in Colorado. Boulder is
expensive, and hard to take in many ways,
however. Fort Collins is more low-key.

Oh yeah -- Bring some REMA patchkits, and
follow the directions in the box.

Robert